with Jono Fisher

Do you ever have those moments when you go, “Geez, imagine how our world could be if we did things differently?”

I had one of those moments when I was listening to a talk by Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn.

In his refreshing talk, Jeff spoke about the principle of “managing compassionately” and how “compassion can and should be taught in corporate learning”
Then, as I was about to fall off my chair, Jeff said “Nothing is more important than the ability to be wise and compassionate.” Now, that’s the message of a true leader!

Imagine if this really happened? Imagine if your workplace really took the training of compassion seriously. Not as a feel good exercise, but as a science-based training that has been proven to vastly enrich purpose, lower anxiety and foster positive relationships.

At the Mindful Leadership Global Forum, we’re extremely lucky to have the founder of Stanford’s Centre for Compassion as a key speaker. Dr. James Doty is a neurosurgeon, entrepreneur and regularly hosts events with executives from LinkedIn, Facebook and Google to explore how the science of compassion can unleash productivity and human flourishing.

Do you know the story behind Stanford’s Centre for Compassion? Well, a few years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave the Stanford University Medical School his largest ever private donation. The Dalai Lama requested that the finest neuroscientists, psychologists and academics prove the science of compassion. He asked that only if they could prove the science, would they release any public compassion training. Years later, they proved the science! They established the Centre for Compassion – and they now offer this groundbreaking training around the world!

I reckon it’s time for Australian business to make a meaningful commitment to creating workplaces that are shaped by mindfulness, compassion and authenticity. It’s not going to happen overnight, but it’s public conversations like our Forum that help speed it up!